North Carolina attracted more new residents from other parts of the country than any other state last year, according to new U.S. Census Bureau figures. Over 84,000 people moved from other parts of the country to the Tar Heel State between July 2024 and July 2025, putting North Carolina ahead of the previous year’s leaders, Texas and Florida.
“North Carolina’s secret is out,” said Governor Josh Stein in a statement. “Our strong economic growth, natural beauty, and good people are attracting others from around the country.”
North Carolina also had the third-largest population increase (146,000 new residents), behind only Texas and Florida. North Carolina state demographer Michael Cline credited the state’s growth to its smaller-sized big cities and high-paying jobs in banking and tech, in addition to its natural beauty.
“North Carolina is attracting younger folks because we have so many nice areas in North Carolina — the mountains and beaches and lakes in between — that we’re benefiting from younger people who decided they can work from anywhere and would rather be in a nice area,” Cline said. “One of the things about North Carolina, our cities are not huge, and that may be attractive to folks, too.”
Population growth is significant as it brings more taxpayers, economic dynamism, and demand for goods and services to a state. In his statement, Gov. Stein encouraged North Carolina to meet the moment.
“We cannot let this momentum slip through our fingers by chasing irresponsible tax cuts for out-of-state corporate shareholders when we can’t retain the best teachers and law enforcement officers,” he said. “Let’s pass a fiscally responsible budget that invests in our people and continues to make North Carolina the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
